The present invention relates to a pressure-sensitive pharmaceutical label which cannot be removed by steam or water from a container once the label is applied. More specifically, the present invention incorporates the combination of an image-producing self-contained carbonless pressure-sensitive label with an overlaminate having an opaque design on a portion of the surface thereof such that any information subsequently printed on the overlaminated label will be obscured from view at the portion having an opaque design.
Pressure-sensitive labels are commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry for labeling containers of drugs with patient address labels, and as a convenient means for a Doctor or Pharmacist to insert relevant user information into a notebook or the like. When using a label in, for instance, an experimental environment, the professional may have reasons for keeping specific information related to the drug or the patient a secret. Other information should always be available and may, therefore, be kept non-secret. Although the label of the present invention is adaptable to many environments, this is one exemplary use.
Further, in such an experimental environment, as in any normal handling of containers, there may be moisture in the air or on the user's hands, which may dissolve a coating that has been applied to a label, thereby revealing information which was intended to be kept secret.
An example of such a label having water-soluble paper which is washed away to reveal secret information appears in U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,081 to Whipperman issued June 19, 1973.